Senators see 'lapses' in handling OFW's sexual-abuse complaint in Saudi Arabia

Senate starts 'sex-for-flight' inquiry. Three overseas Filipino workers who were victims of the 'sex-for-flight' scheme allegedly perpetuated by some PHL embassy and labor officials in the Middle East testify before a Senate inquiry on the illegal sex trade. Benjie Castro

At least three senators on Thursday found a labor official assigned in Saudi Arabia to be remiss in his duty to protect an overseas Filipino worker who claimed to be sexually abused by the driver of the labor office in the area.

Labor Attaché Adam Musa of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Alkhobar was scolded by senators during a Senate inquiry for supposed "inconsistencies" in his testimony.

During the probe, Musa said he launched an internal investigation on allegations made by Grace Victoria Sales alias "Josie," a distressed OFW who left the halfway house in Saudi after supposedly being molested by a Filipino driver at the POLO identified as "Kuya Jojo."

"Gumawa po ako ng internal investigation. Gusto ko po maabot si Josie pero hindi ko na siya ma-contact after the incident. She never mentioned to me the circumstances dahil tumakas na po sya sa Bahay Kalinga. I never had the opportunity to talk to her or contact her," Musa said during Thursday's probe.

The labor official added that he allowed his staff members to reach Sales, because he did not want to give the impression that he "was siding" with his driver.

Musa further said it was his staff members and other POLO employees who "tried to settle the differences" between Sales and the driver.

Also, he said that after talking with his subordinates, Sales agreed to a settlement worth 10,000 Saudi riyals (over P110,000).

"Gumawa ho ng sulat si Josie na nagkaayos na sila. Nasettle na ho ang kanilang pag-uusap so I did not pursue my investigation, but I submitted my report to the embassy," Musa said.

Sales however said that Musa's staff members dictated to her what she will write in the letter.

She also claimed that the money used for the settlement came from Musa's pocket, an allegation that the labor official categorically denied.

No initiative?

Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile however questioned Musa's decision to let his staff members solve the case.

"Nalaman nitong labor attache na ito na may problema. He did not take the initiative to find out what was the problem," Enrile said during the inquiry.

"He knew that his own driver was trying to settle the problem with this woman. What is there to settle if there is no real factual problem that that was done to the honor of this woman?" the senator added.

Enrile added that Musa clearly committed "lapses" in handling the sexual abuse case, and that the labor official "was remiss in the performance of your duties to protect really our people."

Senator Jinggoy Estrada, Senate labor committee chairman, also raised suspicion over Musa's decison to toss the resolution of the case to his subordinates.

"Bakit hindi siya mismo ang humarap para alamin ang problema ni Josie? Isa sa functions ng labor attaché is to protect and promote the welfare of OFWs. Bakit inuutusan niya lang ang kanyang assistant?" Estrada said in an interview after the inquiry.

He even called on Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz to immediately remove Musa from his post.

"It is the discretion of Secretary of DOLE to appoint or fire him. Sa inaasta ni Musa, panahon na siguro na tanggalin ni Secretary Baldoz ang ganitong klaseng labor attache," he said.

Bribe?

Senator Teofisto Guingona III, who chairs the Senate blue ribbon committee, meanwhile said he believes Musa bribed Sales to sweep the case under the rug.

"Basically ang nangyari: Sinubukang gahasin ng driver niya, nalaman niya, sinabihan niya ang staff na, ito ang pera, ayusin niyo na. Ganoon lang naman," Guingona told reporters after the interview.

"The person who is supposed the protect the welfare of the Filipino laborer is the one who committed the offense. So pagtataksil ito sa katungkulan. Malubha ito," he added.

Guingona further said the accused driver and members of Musa's staff will be invited to the next probe to shed light on the source of the money used to settle with Sales.

"If we can show that the money given to Josie came from him [Musa], which he denies and which is inconsistent, that is a bribe," Guingona said.

Musa, for his part, denied trying to bribe Sales.

"Nakalagay ho sa report ko that even without settlement, we will not stop from conducting that investigation should Josie surface. Unfortunately, Josie did not call me or send somebody to talk to me on whatever happened to her outside," the labor official said. — LBG, GMA News